About the Pro-Ject CD Box DS3
Laser-focused on high-quality CD playback
Laser-focused on high-quality CD playback
The Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 delivers highly accurate playback for your standard audio CDs, thanks to a high-quality Texas Instruments digital-to-analog converter. Its rigid aluminum chassis isolates the sensitive internal disc drive from unwanted vibration. And the player's compact design takes up relatively little space in your audio cabinet as a bonus. Pro-Ject's dedication to solid build quality can be seen in the smooth front-loading slot mechanism, intelligent internal servo control, and high-contrast dot-matrix display.
A stereo RCA output on the back panel lets you use the excellent built-in DAC. If you prefer to send pure digital signal to your integrated amp or an outboard component DAC, you can use the DS3's optical digital or coaxial digital output.
Product highlights:
- 24-bit/192kHz Texas Instruments PCM1796 digital-to-analog converter
- smooth front-loading slot mechanism
- intelligent CD-80 Blue Tiger servo mechanism reduces tracking and focus errors
- high-contrast dot-matrix display for CD track information
- compact, vibration-resistant aluminum chassis
- optical and coaxial digital outputs
- analog stereo RCA output
- frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz (±0.15dB)
- signal-to-noise ratio: 105dB
- total harmonic distortion: 0.018% (analog), 0.005% (digital)
Dimensions and warranty:
- 8-1/8"W x 2-3/4"H x 8-11/16"D
- weight: 3.1 lbs.
- warranty: 2 years
- MFR # 9120097828170
What's in the box:
Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 owner's manual
- CD player
- AC power adapter (attached 46" DC cord)
- 3 AC plugs (US/EU/UK)
- Remote control
- CR2032 3V battery
- Instructions For Use
Reviews (2)
Customer reviews for Pro-Ject CD Box DS3
Loading reviews...
Average review:
5.0 out of 5 starsThanks for submitting your review
Customer photos
This review was collected as part of a promotion
Pros:
Cons:
More details on the Pro-Ject CD Box DS3
Features & specs
| General | ||
|---|---|---|
| Disc Capacity | 1 | |
| CD Transport Only | No | |
| Disc Exchange | N/A | |
| Track Programming | No | |
| Random Play | N | |
| Direct Track Access | Yes | |
| Direct Disc Access | N/A | |
| Networking Features | ||
| Network Music Streaming | No | |
| Ethernet Port | No | |
| Wi-Fi | No | |
| Remote | Included | |
| Parts Warranty | 2 Years | |
| Labor Warranty | 2 Years | |
| Compatibility | ||
| CD-R Playback | No | |
| CD-RW Playback | No | |
| Stereo SACD Playback | N | |
| Specifications | ||
| CD Frequency Response | 20-20k Hz | |
| Signal to Noise Ratio | 105 dB | |
| SACD Frequency Response | Not Compatible | |
| SACD Dynamic Range | Not Given | |
| SACD THD | Not Given | |
| Inputs | ||
| Digital Optical Input | No | |
| Digital Coaxial Input | No | |
| USB Type-A Input | No | |
| USB Type-B Input | No | |
| Outputs | ||
| Analog RCA Output | Yes | |
| Analog XLR Output | No | |
| Digital Optical Output | Yes | |
| Digital Coaxial Output | Yes | |
| Headphone Output | No | |
Product Research
Features
CD Box DS3: The Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 is a compact single-disc CD player for high-quality CD audio playback. It employs a slot-loading disc drive controlled by a Blue Tiger CD-80 servo for accurate, plus a 24-bit/192kHz DAC for 1:1 bit playback accuracy. It also features a rigid aluminum chassis and utilizes a 4-point intelligent suspension system to resist vibration and interference. The CD Box DS3 is available in Black or Silver.
Rigid Aluminum Housing: Standard sheet metal housings are not torsion-resistant and mechanical accurate enough to mount a sensitive CD drive where the laser position has to be correct all the time. That's why the Pro-Ject CD Box DS3's features a rigid aluminum constructed chassis that also helps to protect the drive against vibration and electromagnetic interferences.
4-Point Intelligent Suspension: The intelligent suspension is able to provide a perfect resonance derivative. Three soft points isolate the drive from external vibration, while one hard point leads high frequent vibration caused by the fast movement of the laser into the non-resonant chassis.
Compatible Discs: The CD Box DS3 features a slot-in mechanism for playback of Audio-CDs only.
- This unit is not compatible with CD-R or CD-R/W writable and rewritable discs.
- This unit does not support playback of compressed music files such as MP3, WMA, AAC, etc.
- This unit does not support playback of high resolution music files such as FLAC, ALAC, DSD, etc.
- This unit does not support playback of SACD (Super Audio CD).
- This unit does not support CD-Text information display.
Note: It takes approximately 20 seconds for the CD Box DS3 to power on and start up.
Blue Tiger CD-80 Servo for 1:1 Bit Accuracy: The Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 employs the Blue Tiger CD-80 servo developed by Stream Unlimited. A CD drive is only as good as the servo which controls it, and the Blue Tiger CD-80 servo accurately controls the CD Box DS3's CD drive for ultra-high audio playback performance of your CD Audio discs.
1:1 Bit-Accurate Drive: In contrast to DVD or Blu-ray Disc players, a pure CD player is frequently better for playback of stereo CDs. The drive in the CD Box DS3 enables 1:1 bit-accurate CD playback. The player is is controlled by a mini-computer (Blue Tiger CD-80), to optimize its PC-drive for a 1:1 bit-accurate reading of the "Redbook" CD-standard. The CD is read into a memory allowing any reading errors to be corrected, which ensures the best sound quality that you can get from a PC-drive. Although this approach results in slightly longer start-up and reading times, it enables Pro-Ject to fit an audiophile-grade CD player into and ultra-compact case.
24-Bit/192kHz DAC: A high-quality PCM1796 DAC (digital-to-analog converter) by Texas Instruments enables precise and detailed playback of your CD Audio discs. This advanced DAC chip provides the accurate digital analog conversion with a bit depth & sampling rate up to 24-bit/192kHz.
Analog & Digital Outputs: The Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 is outfitted with both analog and digital outputs. The analog stereo RCA outputs connect to your home receiver or integrated amplifier and utilize the CD Box DS3's built-in DAC. The optical (toslink) or coaxial (SPDIF) digital output can feed an external DAC, letting your high-end DAC convert the accurately transferred bitstream from the CD.
Front-Panel & Remote Control: The CD Box DS3 offers front-panel controls and comes with an IR remote. On the front-panel five aluminum push-buttons that operate Power On/Off, Play/Pause, Stop, Previous/Next Track, and Eject. The IR remote operates the same functions as the front-panel controls; but also adds a numeric keypad for direct track access, Fast Forward/Rewind to scan through tracks, and volume control for Pro-Ject integrated amplifiers.
Front-Panel Display: The Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 features small 1.54" front-panel display which indicates track number and elapsed time of a track during playback. When a disc is first inserted, the display shows the current track number, the elapsed time of the current track, total number of tracks on the disc and the total duration of the disc. The unit does not offer CD Text or song/artist/album information display.
AC Power Adapter: The Pro-Ject CD Box DS3 comes with an external AC power adapter that plugs into the back of the CD player and into an AC wall outlet or surge protector (sold separately - see Accessories Tab).
Loading accessories...
Customer Q&A
Loading articles...
Love the simplicity, the built in DtoA converter which allows me to connect to my quad tube amp as a line input. Oh, and it sounds great.
Stuart from Brooklyn, NY